Component concentration measurement device

Abstract

To provide a component concentration measurement device for manufacturing a semiconductor device which can attain chemical resistance and fire prevention property at the same time.SOLUTION: The component concentration measurement device for measuring the concentration of a target component in a chemical solution includes a metal housing and a resin housing accommodated within the metal housing. An electric device for driving an analysis instrument for analyzing the chemical solution is installed in the metal housing. Within the resin housing, a pipe through which the chemical solution flows and the analysis instrument are installed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a component concentration measuring device for measuring the concentration of a component in a chemical solution in a semiconductor manufacturing process or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is a component concentration measuring device that is connected to a chemical liquid pipe provided in a semiconductor manufacturing device and measures the concentration of a chemical liquid (liquid sample) such as hydrofluoric acid (HF), as shown in Patent Document 1. This chemical liquid concentration device is configured so that the chemical liquid pipe passes through a housing and that optical measurements and electrochemical measurements can be performed on the chemical liquid using analytical equipment installed in the housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. WO2023 / 090111 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing processes is required to comply with the international standard SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International), and component concentration measuring devices that handle chemical liquids, such as those mentioned above, are particularly required to ensure both chemical resistance and fire resistance.

[0005] In order to comply with such SEMI standards, it is possible to achieve both chemical resistance and fire resistance by, for example, using flame-retardant PVC that complies with the FM4910 standard, which stipulates flame-retardant performance, for the construction material of the housing of the component concentration measuring device. However, flame-retardant PVC is difficult to obtain, and the material costs are high, which increases manufacturing costs, making this undesirable.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its main objective is to provide a component concentration measuring device for semiconductor manufacturing processes that can achieve both chemical resistance and fire resistance while keeping manufacturing costs down. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In other words, the component concentration measuring device of the present invention measures the concentration of a component to be measured in a chemical solution, and is characterized in that it comprises a metal casing and a resin casing housed within the metal casing, and electrical equipment for driving an analytical instrument that analyzes the chemical solution is installed within the metal casing, and piping through which the chemical solution flows and the analytical instrument are installed within the resin casing.

[0008] With this configuration, electrical equipment that could be a source of fire and equipment that handles chemicals such as organic solvents (pipes and analytical equipment) can be installed inside a non-flammable metal housing, thereby meeting the flame retardancy standards required by SEMI standards. Furthermore, by housing a chemical-resistant resin housing inside this metal housing and installing chemical piping and analytical equipment that may leak chemicals inside the resin housing, chemical resistance standards can also be met. Furthermore, by using separate housings to satisfy the fire resistance and chemical resistance requirements, rather than using a single housing to satisfy both, material costs can be reduced, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. In other words, if a single plastic housing were to satisfy both fire resistance and chemical resistance, it would be necessary to use expensive flame-retardant PVC. However, according to the present invention, the plastic housing only needs to satisfy the chemical resistance requirement, so it can be constructed using, for example, inexpensive, standard-grade PVC. This makes it possible to satisfy both the chemical resistance and fire resistance requirements while reducing material costs and manufacturing costs.

[0009] In the constituent concentration measuring device, it is preferable that the electrical device is provided inside the metal casing and outside the resin casing. With this configuration, the area where the electrical equipment is installed and the area where the chemical solution is handled are spatially separated, thereby making it possible to prevent the chemical solution from splashing onto the electrical equipment.

[0010] The constituent concentration measuring device preferably includes the metal housing and the resin housing opening / closing door, and the opening / closing door of the resin housing preferably has a light-transmitting area that allows the interior to be viewed. With this configuration, by providing double doors for accessing the inside of the plastic casing, the risk of the chemical liquid spilling on the operator can be reduced even if a leak occurs inside the plastic casing, and chemical resistance can be improved. Moreover, because the doors of the plastic casing have a light-transmitting area, the operator can check whether or not there is a chemical liquid leak inside the plastic casing without opening the doors, further reducing the risk of the chemical liquid splashing.

[0011] In a specific embodiment of the constituent concentration measuring device, the opening and closing door of the resin casing is made of a translucent resin material.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the component concentration measuring device has a protrusion on the inward surface of the opening and closing door of the metal casing that protrudes toward the outward surface of the opening and closing door of the plastic casing, and when the opening and closing door of the metal casing is closed, the opening and closing door of the plastic casing is pressed in the closing direction by the protrusion. In this way, the inner door of the plastic housing can be closed by closing the outer door of the metal housing, which prevents the operator from forgetting to close the inner door, further reducing the risk of chemical leakage.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that the constituent concentration measuring device further comprises a holding mechanism for holding the opening and closing door of the resin casing in a closed state. This prevents the door of the resin housing from accidentally opening when the door of the metal housing is opened.

[0014] In the constituent concentration measuring device, it is preferable that the resin casing has a plurality of the opening and closing doors. With this configuration, when an operator performs maintenance inside the plastic housing, he or she only needs to open the door corresponding to the required location, thereby reducing the risk of chemical solution splashing from locations unrelated to the work location.

[0015] Furthermore, it is preferable that the constituent concentration measuring device has a fixing bracket attached to the outer surface of the resin housing, and that the resin housing is fixed to the metal housing via the fixing bracket. With this configuration, by connecting the fixing bracket attached to the plastic housing to the metal housing, the strength of the plastic housing can be provided by the metal housing, and the structure of the plastic housing can be simplified.

[0016] In the constituent concentration measuring device, it is preferable that an opening and closing door of the resin casing is attached to the fixing bracket. With this configuration, the strength required to support the opening and closing door of the plastic housing can be provided by the metal housing via the fixing bracket, so the structure of the plastic housing can be further simplified.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that the component concentration measuring device has a support bracket with a tapped hole attached to the outer surface of the plastic housing, a through hole formed in the side wall of the plastic housing at a position corresponding to the tapped hole, and the analytical instrument placed inside the plastic housing is supported by being screwed into the tapped hole in the support bracket. With this configuration, tapped holes for screwing analytical instruments are not provided in the plastic housing, which prevents a decrease in the strength of the plastic housing due to the formation of tapped holes. Furthermore, by providing tapped holes in, for example, a metal support bracket, the strength of the tapped holes themselves can be increased. Furthermore, because the support bracket is attached to the outside of the plastic housing, corrosion due to the splashing of chemical solutions can be prevented.

[0018] In the constituent concentration measuring device, it is preferable that an inclined surface is formed on the bottom surface of the resin casing, and that a drain outlet is formed in a lower region of the inclined surface. With this configuration, the bottom surface (floor surface) of the plastic casing is inclined and a drain outlet is formed in the lower area, so that if a chemical leak occurs inside the plastic casing, the leaked liquid can be automatically drained by gravity, preventing the leaked water from overflowing inside the plastic casing.

[0019] Furthermore, it is preferable that the component concentration measuring device has an inclined surface formed over the entire bottom surface, and that the inclined surface is provided with a mounting portion having a horizontal mounting surface formed on its upper surface, and that a control valve for controlling the flow rate of the chemical solution is attached to the mounting surface. With this configuration, the floor of the resin housing can be made horizontal while still ensuring the ability to drain leaked liquid, and by attaching a control valve to such a horizontal surface, the flow rate of the chemical liquid can be controlled with precision. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention as described above, it is possible to provide a constituent concentration measuring device for use in semiconductor manufacturing processes that can achieve both chemical resistance and fire resistance while keeping manufacturing costs down. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a constituent concentration measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the constituent concentration measuring device of the embodiment with an outer door open. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the constituent concentration measuring device of the embodiment with a resin casing taken out. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the constituent concentration measuring device of the embodiment with the outer door open. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the internal configuration of the constituent concentration measuring device of the embodiment as seen from the side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the resin housing of the embodiment. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing the configuration of a main body of the resin housing of the embodiment; [Figure 8]FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the resin housing of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the bottom surface of the resin housing of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, a constituent concentration measuring device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0023] The constituent concentration measuring device 100 of this embodiment measures the concentration of a target component contained in a chemical solution used in, for example, a semiconductor manufacturing device. The constituent concentration measuring device 100 is installed, for example, in a chemical solution pipe that supplies the chemical solution, and measures the concentration of the target component in the chemical solution. The concentration thus obtained is used to control the concentration of the chemical solution. Examples of chemical solutions include, but are not limited to, SC-1 (ammonia-hydrogen peroxide solution), SC-2 (hydrochloric acid-hydrogen peroxide solution), SPM (sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide solution), FPM (hydrofluoric acid-hydrogen peroxide solution), and BHF (buffered hydrofluoric acid solution). The constituent concentration measuring device 100 is configured to have fire resistance and chemical resistance conforming to SEMI standards.

[0024] Specifically, this component concentration measuring device 100 has a chemical liquid chamber S1 in which piping (chemical liquid piping) through which the chemical liquid flows is passed, and in which one or more analytical instruments 4 for analyzing the chemical liquid are installed, and an electrical chamber S2 in which electrical equipment 3 is installed.

[0025] The chemical solution chamber S1 is equipped with analytical instruments 4, including an optical measurement analytical instrument 4 that measures the optical absorption spectrum of the chemical solution, and an electrochemical measurement analytical instrument 4 that electrochemically measures the properties of the chemical solution. The optical measurement analytical instrument 4 is equipped with an absorbance meter 41 that irradiates the chemical solution with light and measures its absorbance. The electrochemical analytical instrument 4 is equipped with a pH meter 43 that measures the pH of the chemical solution. In addition to the analytical instruments 4, the chemical solution chamber S1 may also be equipped with a flow meter (not shown) that measures the flow rate of the chemical solution flowing through the piping, a control valve 6 that controls the flow path and flow rate of the chemical solution flowing through the piping, and a pressure meter that measures the pressure of the chemical solution flowing through the piping.

[0026] The electrical room S2 is equipped with electrical equipment 3, such as a power supply, a transformer, an inverter, a switch for switching the open / close state of a drive circuit, a breaker for automatically shutting off the drive circuit in the event of an overcurrent or a ground fault, and other electrical equipment for driving the analytical instruments 4. In addition to the electrical equipment for driving the analytical instruments 4, various other electrical equipment may also be installed in the electrical room S2.

[0027] Furthermore, among the components of the analytical instrument 4, a component that is unlikely to leak the chemical solution (for example, a light source provided in the spectrophotometer 41) may be installed in the electrical chamber S2. In this way, it is possible to reduce the number of devices that become wet when a leak occurs in the chemical solution chamber S1.

[0028] The constituent concentration measuring device 100 also includes an information processing device (not shown) that processes measurement information obtained from each analytical instrument 4. This information processing device calculates the concentration of the component to be measured in the chemical solution using the optical absorption spectrum (or absorbance spectrum) obtained by the optical measurement analytical instrument 4 and the pH obtained by the pH meter 43. The information processing device is a computer having a CPU, memory, an input / output interface, an AD converter, output means such as a display, and input means such as a keyboard, and the CPU and peripheral devices work together to function as a concentration calculation unit based on a constituent concentration calculation program stored in the memory. Primary signals, such as voltages, obtained from each analytical instrument 4 may be converted into absorption spectra, pH, etc. in the information processing device.

[0029] Therefore, this constituent concentration measuring device 100 has a distinctive housing structure that satisfies the fire resistance and chemical resistance standards that comply with the SEMI standard. The structure of the housing C will be described in detail below.

[0030] 1 to 5, this constituent concentration measuring device 100 has a double structure including a metal housing (hereinafter referred to as metal housing 1) and a resin housing (hereinafter referred to as resin housing 2) that is entirely housed within the metal housing 1. The electrical chamber S2 is provided inside the metal housing 1 and outside the resin housing 2, and the electrical device 3 is installed in the space outside the resin housing 2 within the metal housing 1. On the other hand, the chemical liquid chamber S1 is provided inside the resin housing 2, and the chemical liquid piping, analytical device 4, flow meter, and control valve 6 are installed in the space within the resin housing 2.

[0031] The metal housing 1 is the exterior of the constituent concentration measuring device 100, and is mainly made of a non-flammable material (specifically, a metal material such as stainless steel). The metal housing 1 is box-shaped with an internal storage space, and includes a housing main body 11 (hereinafter also referred to as the outer housing) with an opening on the front, and an opening / closing door 12 (hereinafter also referred to as the outer door) that opens and closes the opening of the housing main body 11. The opening / closing door 12 is a hinged door type connected to the housing main body 11 via a hinge, which is an opening / closing mechanism.

[0032] The resin casing 2 has an inner wall surface that forms the chemical solution chamber S1, and is entirely made of a chemical-resistant resin material. In this embodiment, the resin casing 2 is made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), but this is not the only chemical-resistant resin material, and other materials such as polypropylene (PP) and fluororesin (PTFE) may be used. The PVC used for the resin casing 2 is of a standard flame-retardant grade (for example, one that complies with UL94 V-0, a flame-retardant standard), but is not limited to this.

[0033] The resin casing 2 is box-shaped with an internal storage space, and includes a casing main body 21 (hereinafter also referred to as the inner casing) with an opening on the front, and an opening / closing door 22 (hereinafter also referred to as the inner door) that opens and closes the opening of the casing main body 21. The opening / closing door 22 is of a hinged door type that is connected to the casing main body 21 via a hinge that serves as an opening / closing mechanism. The opening of the inner casing 21 is provided at a position corresponding to the opening of the outer casing 11, and a double-door structure is formed in which the inner door 22 is exposed when the outer door 12 is opened.

[0034] The inner door 22 of this embodiment has a light-transmitting region in part or all thereof, and an operator can check the internal condition through this light-transmitting region without opening the inner door 22. The inner door 22 of this embodiment is entirely made of a light-transmitting resin material (for example, but not limited to, polypropylene, acrylic, polycarbonate, etc.), and the entire inner door 22 is a light-transmitting region. Note that in this embodiment, the housing body 21 of the plastic housing 2 is entirely made of an opaque resin material.

[0035] 6 to 8, the plastic casing 2 of this embodiment has a plurality of inner doors 22, and the plurality of inner doors 22 completely cover the opening of the casing body 21. The plastic casing 2 of this embodiment is provided with a shelf member 23 that at least partially divides the internal space, and the shelf member 23 divides the internal space of the plastic casing 2 into two, upper and lower, spaces. The plastic casing 2 has a plurality of inner doors 22 corresponding to the respective spaces divided by the shelf member 23. In this embodiment, a pH meter 43 is fixedly attached to the plate surface of the shelf member 23.

[0036] Additionally, a plurality of support brackets 7 with tapped holes are attached to the outer surface 2s of the plastic casing 2. The support brackets 7 are used to support the analytical instruments 4 installed inside the plastic casing 2, and are metal plates made of a metal material such as stainless steel. Through holes are formed in the side walls of the plastic casing 2 at positions corresponding to the tapped holes in the support brackets 7. Each analytical instrument 4 (specifically, a conductivity meter 42 and an absorbance meter 41) housed inside the plastic casing 2 is supported by being screwed into the tapped holes in the support brackets 7. The through holes formed in the side walls of the plastic casing 2 have a larger diameter than the tapped holes in the support brackets 7, which prevents the weight of the supported analytical instruments 4 from being applied to the through holes.

[0037] 9, a slope is formed on the bottom surface 2b of the plastic casing 2, and a drain port 2d is formed in the lower region of the slope so that the leaked liquid can be drained if the chemical solution leaks inside the plastic casing 2. This slope is formed so as to slope in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the slope is formed over the entire bottom surface 2b of the plastic casing 2.

[0038] A mounting portion 8 having a horizontal mounting surface formed on an upper surface 8s is provided on the inclined surface of the bottom surface 2b of the resin housing 2. This mounting portion 8 is shaped like a block extending in the left-right direction. A plurality of control valves 6 are mounted side by side on the mounting surface of the mounting portion 8.

[0039] In this embodiment, the inward surface 12s of the outer door 12 (i.e., the surface facing the inner door 22) is provided with a protrusion 13 that protrudes toward the outward surface 22s of the inner door 22. This protrusion 13 is configured to come into contact with the outward surface 22s of the inner door 22 when the outer door 12 is closed, and by closing the outer door 12, the protrusion 13 presses the inner door 22 in the closing direction. The protrusion 13 in this embodiment is a ridge formed to extend in the left-right direction, and a plurality of protrusions 13 are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of inner doors 22.

[0040] The plastic casing 2 is also provided with a holding mechanism that holds the inner door 22 in a closed state. The holding mechanism of this embodiment holds the inner door 22 by magnetic force, and is specifically configured using a magnetic catch. This holding mechanism is configured with a magnet attached to one of the casing body 21 of the plastic casing 2 and the inner door 22, and a magnetic plate attached to the other.

[0041] In this embodiment, a fixing bracket 9 is attached to the outer surface 2s of the plastic housing 2, and the plastic housing 2 is fixed to the metal housing 1 via the fixing bracket 9. The fixing bracket 9 is a long metal plate made of a metal material such as stainless steel, and is attached so as to extend in the vertical direction near the front edges on both the left and right sides of the plastic housing 2. Tapped holes are formed in the fixing bracket 9, and the left and right side walls of the plastic housing 2 are fixed to the left and right side walls of the metal housing 1 by screws that pass through the tapped holes.

[0042] Furthermore, the inner door 22 is not directly attached to the housing body 21 of the resin housing 2, but is attached to the fixing bracket 9. More specifically, a hinge, which is an opening and closing mechanism, is provided on the fixing bracket 9, and the inner door 22 is connected to the hinge. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the magnet or magnetic plate constituting the holding mechanism is also provided on the fixing bracket 9.

[0043] The constituent concentration measuring device 100 of this embodiment configured as described above can satisfy the fire prevention standards required by the SEMI standard by installing the electrical equipment 3, which may be a cause of fire, inside the non-flammable metal housing 1. Then, by housing a chemical-resistant resin housing 2 inside this metal housing 1 and installing chemical liquid piping and analytical equipment 4, which may leak chemical liquid, inside the resin housing 2, it is also possible to satisfy the chemical resistance standards. Furthermore, by using separate housings to satisfy the fire resistance and chemical resistance requirements, rather than using a single housing to satisfy both, material costs can be reduced, thereby keeping manufacturing costs down. In other words, satisfying both fire resistance and chemical resistance with a single plastic housing 2 would require the use of expensive flame-retardant PVC. However, according to the present invention, the plastic housing 2 only needs to satisfy the chemical resistance requirement, so it can be constructed using, for example, inexpensive, standard-grade PVC. This makes it possible to satisfy both the chemical resistance and fire resistance requirements while keeping material costs down and manufacturing costs down.

[0044] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the opening / closing door 22 of the plastic housing 2 is made of a translucent resin material, but this is not limiting. In other embodiments, the opening / closing door 22 of the plastic housing 2 may be made of a non-translucent material, similar to the housing body 21.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the electric device 3 is installed inside the metal housing 1 and outside the plastic housing 2, but this is not limiting. In other embodiments, the electric device 3 may also be installed inside the plastic housing 2.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the support bracket 7 is attached to the outer surface 2s of the plastic casing 2, but this is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the support bracket 7 may be attached to the inner surface of the plastic casing 2. In other embodiments, the analytical instrument 4 is fixed with a screw into a tapped hole provided in the support bracket 7, but this is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the support bracket 7 may not be attached to the plastic casing 2, and the analytical instrument 4 may be fixed by a screw into a tapped hole formed in the side wall of the plastic casing 2.

[0047] In another embodiment, the resin housing 2 may be fixed directly to the metal housing 1 without the fixing bracket 9 interposed therebetween.

[0048] Furthermore, the analytical instruments 4 installed inside the plastic casing 2 are not limited to the absorbance meter 41 and the pH meter 43. In other embodiments, instead of or in addition to these analytical instruments, other analytical instruments such as a conductivity meter, a dissolved oxygen meter, and a Raman measurement device may be installed inside the plastic casing 2. Furthermore, multiple identical analytical instruments may be installed inside the plastic casing 2 so that the concentrations of chemical solutions introduced from multiple different flow paths can be measured.

[0049] In addition, various modifications and combinations of the embodiments may be made as long as they do not go against the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 100...Component concentration measuring device 1 Metal housing 11. Housing body (outer housing) 2. Resin housing 3. Electrical Equipment 4...Analytical equipment

Claims

1. A device for measuring the concentration of a measurement target component in a chemical solution, A metal housing; a resin housing housed within the metal housing, an electric device that drives an analytical device that analyzes the chemical solution is installed in the metal housing; The constituent concentration measuring device has a pipe through which the chemical solution flows and the analytical instrument installed inside the resin casing.

2. 2. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical device is provided inside the metal housing and outside the resin housing.

3. The metal housing and the resin housing each have an opening / closing door, The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a light-transmitting area is provided on the opening and closing door of the resin casing.

4. 4. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the opening and closing door of the resin casing is made of a light-transmitting resin material.

5. a protrusion portion that protrudes toward an outward surface of the opening / closing door of the resin housing is provided on an inward surface of the opening / closing door of the metal housing, 5. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 1, wherein when the door of the metal housing is closed, the door of the resin housing is pressed in the closing direction by the protrusion.

6. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 5 , further comprising a holding mechanism that holds the opening and closing door of the resin casing in a closed state.

7. The constituent concentration measuring device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the resin casing is provided with a plurality of the opening and closing doors.

8. A fixing bracket is attached to the outer surface of the resin housing, 8. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the resin housing is fixed to the metal housing via the fixing bracket.

9. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 8, which cites any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein an opening and closing door of the resin casing is attached to the fixing bracket.

10. a support bracket having a tapped hole attached to an outer surface of the resin housing; a through hole is formed in a side wall of the resin housing at a position corresponding to the tapped hole, A component concentration measuring device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the analytical instrument installed in the resin housing is supported by being screwed into the tapped hole of the support bracket.

11. The resin housing has a bottom surface formed with an inclined surface, 11. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a drain outlet is formed in a lower region of the inclined surface.

12. the inclined surface is formed over the entire bottom surface, The inclined surface is provided with a mounting portion having a horizontal mounting surface formed on an upper surface thereof, 12. The constituent concentration measuring device according to claim 11, wherein a control valve for controlling the flow rate of the chemical solution is attached to the attachment surface.

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